Neil Smith (linguist)
Encyclopedia
Neilson Voyne Smith FBA, better known as Neil Smith (born 1939) is Emeritus Professor of Linguistics at University College London
.
He wrote his PhD (1964) on the grammar of Nupe
, a language of Nigeria
. Since then his research has encompassed theoretical syntax, language acquisition, the 'savant' syndrome, and general linguistic theory, particularly the work of Noam Chomsky
.
In the 1990s he began working with an autistic man, Christopher, in collaboration with Ianthi-Maria Tsimpli. According to Smith and Tsimpli, Christopher has a non-verbal IQ of between 60 and 70, but his English is comparable to that of normal native speakers, and he has an extraordinary ability to learn new languages.
Smith was Head of the Department of Phonetics and Linguistics at University College London from 1983 to 1990, and headed the Linguistics section from 1972 until his retirement in 2006.
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
He wrote his PhD (1964) on the grammar of Nupe
Nupe language
The Nupe language is spoken primarily by the Nupe people of the Middle Belt region of Nigeria; its geographical distribution is limited to the west-central portion of this region and maintains pre-eminence in Niger State.-External links:*** Portions of the Book of Common Prayer in Nupe....
, a language of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Since then his research has encompassed theoretical syntax, language acquisition, the 'savant' syndrome, and general linguistic theory, particularly the work of Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
.
In the 1990s he began working with an autistic man, Christopher, in collaboration with Ianthi-Maria Tsimpli. According to Smith and Tsimpli, Christopher has a non-verbal IQ of between 60 and 70, but his English is comparable to that of normal native speakers, and he has an extraordinary ability to learn new languages.
Smith was Head of the Department of Phonetics and Linguistics at University College London from 1983 to 1990, and headed the Linguistics section from 1972 until his retirement in 2006.
Selected works
- An Outline Grammar of Nupe (Luzac, 1967)
- The Acquisition of Phonology (Cambridge University Press, 1973)
- Modern Linguistics: The Results of Chomsky's Revolution (with Deirdre Wilson; Penguin, 1979)
- The Twitter Machine: Reflections on Language (Blackwell, 1989)
- The Mind of a Savant (with Ianthi-Maria Tsimpli; Blackwell, 1995)
- Chomsky: Ideas and Ideals (Cambridge University Press, 1999)
- Language, Bananas and Bonobos: Linguistic Problems, Puzzles and Polemics (Blackwell, 2002)